The latest pharma and healthcare news from the dynamic Middle East and Africa market, which reached USD 32.6 billion in value last year according to IQVIA. With supply security of essential medicines and vaccines still a hot-button issue, Egypt and Morocco are establishing a regional biomanufacturing hub for North Africa. Elsewhere, Hikma is attempting to jump aboard the runaway GLP-1 obesity drug train by launching its own generic versions of blockbuster products. Then, some of the initial after-effects of the new US administration’s cuts to foreign aid, and the coming resurgence of tuberculosis and HIV in Africa if left unaddressed.

 

Egypt, in Partnership with Morocco, Selected as Headquarters for the North Africa Biomanufacturing Center (GEN)

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has provided its support for Egypt to establish a regional biomanufacturing hub for North Africa.

The selection reflects Cairo’s commitment to advancing pharmaceutical manufacturing, particularly vaccine production, and strengthening biotechnology research, according to Ayman Ashour, the Egyptian minister of higher education and scientific research, adding that the achievement aligns with Egypt’s strategy to enhance health security both domestically and across Africa, aiming for vaccine self-sufficiency.

 

Quantoom, DNA Script and EVA Pharma link up in renewed push to bring mRNA vaccine autonomy to Africa and beyond (Fierce Pharma)

While some of the initial zeal around localized vaccine production in Africa has waned since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts to bolster the continent’s immunization autonomy—especially around newer technologies like mRNA—continue to take shape.

To that end, Egypt’s EVA Pharma, France’s DNA Script and Belgium’s Quantoom Biosciences on Wednesday unveiled a new collaboration to develop a “digital-to-biologics, end-to-end mRNA production platform.” If successful, the platform could pitch in on the Africa CDC’s goal to boost local vaccine production to 60% of the region’s demand by 2040, the partners said in a press release.

 

Hikma races to launch generic versions of blockbuster obesity drugs (FT)

Pharma group looks to take advantage as Wegovy and Ozempic start to go off patent next year

Drugmaker Hikma is in talks with partners across the world to prepare to sell a generic version of Ozempic and Wegovy, as patents on Novo Nordisk’s blockbuster diabetes and weight loss drugs start expiring as soon as next year.

The FTSE 100 group is racing to produce a generic form of semaglutide, the active ingredient in the drugs. Patents on the branded versions are due to expire in Canada, China, India and Brazil in 2026, and in other markets between 2028 and 2032.

 

Eight countries could run out of HIV treatments due to USAID cuts, WHO says (Reuters)

The Trump administration’s decision to pause U.S. foreign aid has “substantially disrupted” supply of HIV treatments in eight countries, which could soon run out of these life-saving medicines, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The global health agency said that Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria and Ukraine could exhaust their supply of HIV treatments in the coming months.

 

Tuberculosis Resurgent as Trump Funding Cut Disrupts Treatment Globally (NY Times)

The United States was the major funder of tuberculosis programs. Now hundreds of thousands of sick patients can’t find tests or drugs, and risk spreading the disease.